Made to be Broken
by Sethrine
Summary: She was found broken, alone, and with no memory of family and friends. But now that she's been found, time is of the essence. Where exactly does she belong? What is her purpose? Who can be trusted, especially since she knows so little herself?  Ichigo/OC
1. Darkness

Alright! Well, I haven't updated in a while, have I? Because of that, I decided that it would be time for a new story! So tell me what you think.

**Story Name:** Made to be Broken

**Chapter Name:** Darkness

**Author:** Sethrine

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing pertaining to Bleach or its affiliates. I do, however, own this idea as well as the OC.

Enjoy!

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If it wasn't for the fact that he _knew _what the darkness was like, then he would have never noticed the dark ridden form that was hiding from view within a shadowed alleyway. He moved closer, feeling the small surge of fear and fatigue spike from the pale, overly slender form huddled in a dank corner. Despite this, he continued forward, carefully walking so as not to scare the young woman any more than he already had.

Deep ocean blue eyes stared at him blankly, the mystifying depths of those very irises void of unrelenting light that should have been there from the start. Fiery red locks of hair clung to a delicate tear-stained face, and pale, bruise covered arms and legs poked out from a dark blanket that had surely seen better days, visibly shaking with indescribable yet unnecessary fear.

What was it about him that struck such fear in her?

Was it, perhaps, because he looked intimidating compared to the others that had passed by her prone form hours before he found her? Maybe it was because he carried his sword in such a way that she found it hopeless to escape, even with the night sky at her side?

He never was best at thinking things through, nor was he able to see every sign of the shadow-consumed being that would have given him his answers, though what he could notice did give him some insight on why the young woman was in such a state as she was. And to think, he never was one to catch on to subtle hints...

Pale pink lips, slightly chapped from whatever cause, parted slightly as she began to feel a sense of panic and understanding wash over her trembling form. Silent breaths became erratic and almost wheezing He seemed to force himself to stop in his advances in order to hear the softly spoken words.

"Y-you're going to kill me, aren't you?"

Her voice was light, shaky, though it easily carried on the wind. There was also a darker undertone to it that didn't belong, and it made the question that had been spoken just as somber and foreboding as the worn look on the dirtied pale face. The male before her had momentarily forgotten to speak or give any indication that he had heard a word of what was said to him. She continued on, however, the light voice continuing to shake and rise and fall with her fluctuating and confused emotions.

"P-please, just...just kill me quickly. I don't want to suffer anymore; please don't play around with me. If…if you are true by your sword, then let me die with what innocence I have left!"

His eyes, which appeared a deep chocolate brown from where the young woman sat, widened at her words, a genuine look of surprise crossing his features. "I'm not going to kill you, I...I want to help you."

Those magnificent ocean blue eyes that had glued themselves to the young man before her the whole time suddenly widened in disbelief. She looked up hesitantly at his sword that he still carried, the large, heavy looking blade tipping over his opposite shoulder in such a way that he seemed more relaxed that ready to fight. Even at such a time as this, she could not help but wonder if the dangerous looking object was as heavy to lift as it seemed.

He noticed those dark eyes wander to the weapon in his hand and instantly replaced it on his back, afraid that he was scaring her yet again. He was so worried with not upsetting the fragile being that the thought of her not supposed to be able to see him in his spirit form, let alone communicate with him in any way, never crossed his mind.

To him, it did not matter if the others around him were living or part of the dead. If they needed his help, he would gladly give it to them.

Cautiously, he moved even closer to the fiery haired young woman, reaching out a tanned hand for her to take as she followed the path of the darker colored limb with her eyes closely. Pale fingers twitched at wanting to move, wanting to believe that what he said just moments ago was actually true. He saw this momentary hesitation on her part and gave the slightest of smiles, his features softening slightly to put her mind more at ease with his presence.

It was progress, no matter how small. He was sure that with a bit more persuasion, he would be able to convince her to come with him. It was the one and only option he could think of to help the broken female before him.

"My Dad owns a clinic; it's not too far from here. He'll be able to take care of your wounds and mend you up." He could still see hesitance playing up her dirtied features as well as the reluctance she had for his words, so he continued to urge her in the best way he could, knowing that she would be in safer hands.

"Come on, I'll make sure you're taken care of. You'll be with friends; no one's gonna hurt you."

It was then that her hand reached out shakily and took hold of his own, her skin soft to the touch despite the dirt and grime staining her limbs and nearly as cold as ice. It even looked as if her hand was made of ice compared to the darker complexion of the male helping her stand on wobbly legs.

She had taken an uneasy step forward, and just like that, she was falling back to the ground. He caught her quickly, wrapping an arm around her waist in order to help her keep her balance.

"Don't worry, I've got you."

Fearful blue eyes glanced up into warm brown ones, and for that one moment, she wanted to believe that she could trust this man with her life, that he would make sure she was safe despite the odds.

Shakily, she reached up with one hand and placed it against his shoulder, slender fingers digging into the fabric of his clothing as dark eyes closed painfully. She then rested her head carefully against his other shoulder, and with a soft, painful, almost barely uttered cry, she fell unconscious against him.

He caught her easily and was able to maneuver her in such a way that he would be able to carry her without hassle and without damaging any of her wounds, visible or hidden, further. She was so light, he noticed; it was as if she hadn't eaten anything in a while. Who the hell would do something like this to such a fragile person?

For once, Ichigo was thankful for the darkness that covered him as he moved quickly through the town of Karakura.

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So, what did you think? There's always room for improvement on my part, so any ideas/thoughts/opinions are greatly appreciated.


	2. Sanctuary

Here ya go...another chapter to a mysterious-like story.

**Story Title:** Made to be Broken

**Chapter Title: ** Sanctuary

**Author: **Sethrine

**Disclaimer: ** I own nothing pertaining to Bleach or its affiliates.

Enjoy, my friends!

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Dark ochre colored eyes watched over the whimpering, pale form as she was carefully being inspected for any further injury by his own father. From what Ichigo could see and had seen since bringing the broken young woman to his home, most of her body was battered and bruised, and a few newly-inflicted wounds and puncture marks could be seen bleeding slightly in scattered areas on her exposed skin.

After a good few minutes, the orange haired teen had to leave the room. It wasn't the sight of her beaten form that had caused him to move away, nor was it the sight of blood smudged and smeared against alabaster skin and dirty, rumpled clothes; he was used to these kinds of things, considering the line of work he was in as well as his Dad being a doctor all these years.

It was the tears and small, confused and frightened whimpers and cries that had gotten to him, pulling at his heart in ways he couldn't rightfully describe, but could come close. Oh, his father was a good cause, too, seeing as how Isshin ordered him to get out while he finished the examination.

When he did make it out of the room, her cries seemed to have gotten that much worse. He was half-tempted to go back and at least try to quiet her down, but he knew his Dad would only shoo him out again. There were several times that he could hear his father trying to calm her with gentle words, words that he himself couldn't really hear, and it seemed to work for a small amount of time. It was enough to at least give her some sense of comfort.

Why was it so unbearable to hear her in such a distressed state?

She had done the same thing when he had gone to retrieve his body, him having finally realized that he was still in his spirit form and cursing his luck the whole way for forgetting otherwise. She had been sleeping, yet as he had carefully set her down somwhere safe in order to seek out his body, she had woken up. He could hear her gentle sobs clearly, even from the distance he had moved away from her. When he had returned, she gave a distressed sort of cry as if a stranger -not that he already _was_ one- had walked up to her. As soon as her eyes focused up at him, however, recognition glittered in their ocean blue depths, and she was silent once more.

It had amazed him greatly to see the amount of hope and trust this youn womanhad placed in him. It was almost as if...as if he alone had been the ultimate factor of whether she would live or die. He had been in situations such as that before, but this one was almost unnerving and hit home in the strangest way.

Ichigo jumped suddenly and was jostled out of his thoughts when he heard his father calling his name, the older man's tone more relaxed and easy rather than the usual eager and over-eccentric tone he used. The spiky haired young man reentered the room with an almost hesitant step and looked at both his father and the young woman with curious eyes. As expected, the slightest of whimpers from pale lips died down, and blue eyes settled on his form almost expectantly.

"Well, my boy, it seems she's taken quite a liking to you," Isshin stated, allowing the barest hint of an eager smile to escape through his serious facade for only a moment.

"Yeah, sure. Is she gonna be okay?"

At his son's words, Isshin's face almost turned grave, his eyes focusing straight on Ichigo. He wanted to make sure to get his point across as clearly as possible without making the trembling form before them any more uncomfortable.

"Physically, there's progressive damage all over her body; extensive bruises, cuts, two broken fingers, puncture wounds in the shape of teeth...I don't know where you found her, son, but I'm glad you brought her here."

His voice dropped a bit to where only Ichigo could hear him clearly. "Whoever did this, they _hurt_ her, Ichigo. The signs are obvious."

He paused to glance at Ember for a moment before looking back at his son who was shaken with the information and at the brink of complete anger. It was obvious that he understood.

"Mentally, I'm afraid that she's blocked out so many things that she can barely remember who she is. For now, she'll have to stay here until we can figure out what happened to her."

This time, both father and son looked over at the redhead, seeing that her eyes were now downcast and averted to the side, her arms wrapped around both pale, thin legs that she now had propped up on the examination table. The splint that was visible on her left middle and forefinger that proved the aforementioned broken fingers rested lightly against the elbow of her other arm, giving her a somewhat comfortable, yet reclusive look.

Isshin couldn't help the barest hint of a smile that appeared on his face while looking back at his son, seeing that his eyes were still transfixed on her broken form.

"You don't mind helping me with her, do you, son? I think she feels more comfortable with you around."

This caught Ichigo's attention, his look solemn and a little edgey as he glanced back up at his father. Isshin placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder in a comforting manner, giving him a firm nod of encouragement. Ichigo sighed heavily but gave a nod of his own.

"Yeah, I'll help."

"Good. Maybe you could get her to talk a little, maybe get her to open up a little more, but don't pry. She'll probably need a change of clothes and a bath soon, so don't be too long."

"Wait, wha-"

Before Ichigo could finish his sentence, his father was already walking out he door of the clinic and into the house, leaving both his son and the fragile young woman alone.

The spiky haired young man sighed lightly as he looked at her, watching as those deep blue irises glanced around the clinic, taking in the barest of details with a faint look of facination. A silence fell over the both of them, one that was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable and only succeeded in dragging out time. It was after about a good five minutes that the young woman decided to speak, her voice scratchier than before, yet still clear as a bell.

"That man...h-he told me this place was a safe haven, somewhere I wouldn't get hurt or...or be rejected kindness. He said it was a place I c-could be protected, a...a sanctuary."

Ichigo blinked slowly, unable to decide what to say next. He didn't remember ever hearing his father say anything that she had just told him, though he was sure that he himself was deep in thought at the time and just hadn't really been paying attention. His father was strange like that; he could be so serious sometimes that it was scary.

"Yeah, I guess it kinda is. Like I said before, you're among friends, so theres no reason to worry. You'll be fine."

There was yet another long, time consuming silence, though it wasn't as bad as the one previous. "I like your name...Ichigo. It suits you. My name is...is Ember."

Ichigo's eyes widened fractionally in surprise, not having expected her to open up so quickly to him. She had seemed so shy and quiet, so traumatized and broken that he didn't think she would even say a word during her time there, let alone her name. He was about to answer when she started up again, her next words sending a strange shiver down his spine.

"Th-thank you for helping me, Ichigo, for saving me. Without you, I would have never had the chance to find this place, this sanctuary."


	3. Flower

Yay! Another chapter up for this! WOOt, WOOt! I know it's rather short, but I hope you can enjoy just the same.

**Story Title:** Made to be Broken

**Chapter Title: **Flower

**Author:** Sethrine

**Disclaimer:** Bleach characters and affiliates are not owned by moi. I only own this story, Ember, and the idea.

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Ichigo sat there with a somewhat troubled and confused look appearing on his face, his eyes transfixed on the redheaded young woman he had saved just two nights ago. Ember had been still for quite some time and hadn't moved in over a span of thirty minutes or so; her lack of movement was beginning to worry him to some degree. Even his two younger sisters had asked him if she was alright, but he wasn't able to give them a straight answer.

"Why...are you staring at me?"

The orange haired teen nearly jumped when Ember's light voice graced his ears, her ocean blue eyes never wavering from their locked gaze on a fully bloomed rose in a clear flower vase. He quickly averted his eyes from her still form, almost feeling guilty for having been caught spying by the person he was spying on.

"You haven't really said much today, and you've been locked up in here for a while now. Thought I'd see if you were okay; you worried Karin and Yuzu, too, ya know."

Ember turned to look at Ichigo this time, her eyes wide but somehow distant at the same time. "I'm sorry for worrying you all. I've just been...thinking a lot."

She looked away and once again transfixed her eyes to the white rose placed almost precariously on the bedside table before her, it's petals laced with a few streaks of red. Carefully, pale hands reached forward and carefully pulled the delicate flower from the vase, bringing it close to inspect it further for anything that might have been missed upon first examination.

"I think Yuzu brought this to me. When I woke up, it was just..._there_, as if it had always been there."

Ember twirled the stem of the rose between her ivory colored fingers a few times, careful not to twirl it so fast so as not to dishevel the fragile petals that had not completely bloomed from the beginning bud.

"I've never seen a flower like this before. Have you?"

Ichigo looked at the flower in her hands, studying the soft petals and overall subtle plant with gentle eyes. "Yuzu likes to bring in all sorts of flowers. I don't really look at them, I just notice them around the house."

At his answer, Ember stood with the rose in-hand, slowly walking over to the suddenly tense male. He wasn't scared; no, he was far from that, but the sudden look of tenderness in Ember's eyes had caught him completely off-guard.

"Maybe you should look more often. Flowers are a gift of beauty from Mother Nature herself, you know." She paused then, stopping just before Ichigo and giving him a kind smile. Then, taking hold of his hand, Ember gently placed the white rose within his palm, carefully closing his hand around the thornless stem.

"Take the time to look, and you just might find something worth seeing."

She stood back from the surprised teen and blinked slowly before stepping around him and moving downstairs, leaving Ichigo and the white, fragile flower alone.

_What…what was that about?_

Later that afternoon, the spiky haired teen spotted a bouquet of flowers that he remembered both his sisters having arranged earlier that day. He made to go passed them but stopped himself suddenly. For the first time, Ichigo _looked_ at the bundle of brightly colored petals and long green stems and leaves carefully for several long minutes, unaware of a pair of ocean blue eyes watching him.

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See ya in the next chapter!

Please, tell me what you think!


	4. Family I

Woohoo! Getting on up in the story now. All the chapters may seem like they're random, but they aren't. Trust me on that.

Anyways, Enjoy!

**Story Title:** Made to be Broken

**Chapter Title: **Family I

**Author:** Sethrine

**Disclaimer:** Bleach characters and those affiliated with the work are in no way owned by me. I only take credit for Ember and the idea presented.

* * *

"So, what about your family, Ember? They must be worried sick about you."

The question had been thrown out in the open quite casually, the mood having been light and carefree since the start of dinner. Yuzu, along with everyone else in the strange but lovable family, had been curious of Ember ever since she was taken in four nights ago. Needless to say, poor Ember had been constantly questioned by the young lady and her father almost ruthlessly, and despite the protests of Ichigo, they continued to bombard her with question after question.

The young woman didn't mind in the least, politely giving the best answers she could to their questions with a small smile. This time, however, the air grew thick with an unmovable tension, a look of desperate concentration finding its way on Ember's pale face as she thought hard over what she was asked.

_My…my family? I don't…I can't remember them._

"Ember?" Yuzu questioned lightly as everyone at the table became silent with the pressing anxiety that was coming from the redhead. It almost looked as if she were in pain from trying to bring up the memory of something she had lost within her mind.

"I...I don't think I have a family. I don't...remember. I can't even think of their faces."

All eyes focused on Ember as she looked at everyone in turn hesitantly, her thin legs easily fitting in the dining room chair as she nervously wrapped her arms around the lanky limbs. It was the only means of comfort she could find at that moment; the actions was becoming quite the nervous habit. She then looked up into Ichigo's eyes as if trying to identify what he was feeling before looking at Yuzu's own sorrow-filled ones. For a moment, she thought the girl would start crying with how sad she looked.

"What do you mean? Wha-what happened to them?"

Ember shifted apprehensively in her seat, tightening her arms around her legs in an almost self conscious, instinctive manner. She tried once again, in vain, to think of anyone, of anything that could help her remember things from her past. She didn't want to admit it, but she couldn't remember a thing. No memories of siblings or parents, of best friends or favorite toys…_nothing._

"I don't even know, myself. I can't remember anything before the night Ichigo found me; there's just nothing there. But I'm sure you're right. If I do have a family somewhere out there, they must be worried."

There was silence after she spoke, the air about the quaint little family much too serious compared to the earlier mood that should have continued to surround them. Ember's attention had suddenly been caught by Ichigo when he raised his head to look at her, his eyes serious and determined. His mouth opened as if he were about to speak when-

"EMBER, MY LOVELY LITTLE FLOWER! YOU CAN CALL ME DADDY! AND WE SHALL BE YOUR WONDERUL FAM-"

The redheaded young woman cringed when Isshin, having been coming at her with open arms and an obnoxiously silly smile, was suddenly kicked to the side by Ichigo in a flash of movement that looked completely reflexive. Stunned ocean blue eyes blinked slowly as she watched the older man fall to the ground, complementing his son on his quick reaction time.

Ichigo scowled at his father while crossing his arms, subconsciously blocking Ember from Isshin's outwardly violent attacks. The action had Ember almost blushing for some strange reason.

"She's just recovering from her injuries. Are you _trying_ to hurt her?" Ichigo snapped as he glared down at his father's smiling face, giving a deep growl when Isshin laughed up at him.

"Ichigo, I was just trying to welcome Ember to the family! I would never dream of hurting her. How _rude _of you to think that I would-"

"Whatever, just watch it, old man," Ichigo warned, and with that, he turned away and made to return to his seat. Before he could, however, Isshin had grabbed hold of his son's ankle and pulled his foot out from beneath him. With a strangled sort of noise, Ichigo fell to the ground as Isshin laughed in victory. Ember was mortified and didn't exactly know what to do.

Were they always like this?

"I think it is YOU who should watch it! You didn't even see that coming. You getting soft, Ichigo?"

"Like hell I am!"

And just like that, father and son began wrestling on the kitchen floor. Karin, in turn, who had been silent throughout the whole ordeal, sighed, exasperated at the two. "God, we can't even get through dinner with both the knuckleheads getting into it."

Yuzu was busy trying to pull them apart and get them both back to the table to finish dinner, and in the end, both male family members were forced to do the dishes together, no matter how much either one of them sulked and tried to bribe their way out of it.

Ember watched the display with gentle, now amused eyes. For now, this family would do.


End file.
